Sense in the Senate

Well I am back connected online and about to head back to Washington after a few days staring at the ocean waves in Eastern Long Island. There is a lot to blog about but, I guess the only thing I can say is that I feel relieved that our democracy is still working despite the attempt by George Bush and the "Grand Bargainers" aka The gang of 12 Senators (Kennedy,McCain,Reid,Menendez,Spector,Graham etc...)who with their backroom deal attempted to railroad the Illegal Immigration amnesty bill through the Senate several times. I get livid when I hear the corporate mainstream media say opposition to the amnesty bill this was driven by conservative talk radio. I NEVER listen to talk radio and don't take my marching orders from the likes of Rush Limbaugh or any other hosts. My opposition to the bill's amnesty provision was based on common sense and the track record of the Federal Government following the 1986 amnesty bill which has created the situation we now have in the country. Doing another amnesty like that proposed in this Senate Immigration bill and expecting different results is by definition insanity! Luckily, there were some sane Senators who where able to stop this bill. I will be making calls to their offices to thank them. I have already called Senator Chambliss to thank him for his attention and pointing out all the loopholes in the Bill. Here is a complete list of the heroes of the Senate who bucked the business and pro-illegal immigration lobbyist who wanted to ram this bad bill down the throats of the American people:

Alexander (R-TN),Allard (R-CO), Barrasso (R-WY),Baucus (D-MT),Bayh (D-IN),Bingaman (D-NM),Bond (R-MO),Brown (D-OH),Brownback (R-KS),Bunning (R-KY),Burr (R-NC),Byrd (D-WV),Chambliss (R-GA),Coburn (R-OK),Cochran (R-MS),Coleman (R-MN),Collins (R-ME)
Corker (R-TN),Cornyn (R-TX),Crapo (R-ID),DeMint (R-SC),Dole (R-NC),Domenici (R-NM)
Dorgan (D-ND),Ensign (R-NV),Enzi (R-WY),Grassley (R-IA),Harkin (D-IA),Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX),Inhofe (R-OK),Isakson (R-GA),Landrieu (D-LA),McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY),Murkowski (R-AK),Nelson (D-NE),Pryor (D-AR),Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV),Sanders (I-VT),Sessions (R-AL),Shelby (R-AL),Smith (R-OR)
Stabenow (D-MI),Stevens (R-AK),Sununu (R-NH),Tester (D-MT),Thune (R-SD),Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH),Warner (R-VA),Webb (D-VA)

We all owe them a call and a thank you for doing the right thing by the American people. The Senate switchboard number is 202 224-3121
While this was a great victory for our Democracy and the people of the country. I still am keeping "I love secure borders" bumper sticker on my car. Because as Senator Kennedy threatened "we'll be back" We know that Senator and we will be ready!

The power outage and the power of outrage!

A transformer blew up in my neighborhood the other day knocking out power to the house. I was on the computer and so had to stop and do other things not dependent of the electric grid. I got quite a lot done which reminds me we need to shut off the computer from time to time. That's what I'll be doing for the next few days. My girlfriend is dragging me out to the Hamptons for a few days where I'll be sitting on a beach in Ammagansett for the rest of the week. I received an email today that read in part:

The critical vote coming this week will be on the "cloture" of S.1639.
This vote is one to stop (limit to a finite amount of time) debate on the bill and force a final vote. Cloture requires 60 votes to pass.
The final bill only requires a majority (51) votes to pass. One of the tricks some Senators may be counting on is to vote YES on cloture, knowing full well that there will be 51 votes to pass the bill, and then vote NO on the bill itself so they can tell their voters they voted against it. It is up to you and all your friends and relatives to call their offices and let them know that it is their vote on cloture which will be used to judge them at the polls the next time they are up for election. They need to know that America wants them to VOTE NO ON CLOTURE on S.1639. A simple message to follow that may be something such as "We want our EXISTING LAWS enforced before you enact any additional ones."

Remember, it is NOT our immigration system which is broken, as so many in Washington DC continually repeat in hopes that if you hear it enough you will believe it. It is the will of the politicians in Washington DC which is broken. It is their will to enforce the law as is their sworn duty which is broken. This is something which we as a nation can "fix" at the ballot box. .

The email also gave the names of Senators that needed to be called
Bond (R-MO), Bingaman (D-NM), Burr (R-NC), Boxer (D-CA), * Cochran (R-MS) '08 , Conrad (D-ND), * Craig (R-ID) '08, * Domenici (R-NM) '08, Ensign (R-NV),Gregg (R-NH), Hatch (R-UT), * Levin (D-MI) '08, Webb (D-VA), Nelson (D-NE), * McConnell (R-KY) '08, * Smith (R-OR) '08, * Warner (R-VA) '08
about the newest Shamnesty bill S.1369 Kennedy/Bush/McCain/Lott/Graham and others are trying to ram through the Senate. So even though I won't be online I will have my cell phone on the beach and a number of staffers in the Senate offices will be hearing from me and also hearing the sound of the ocean in the background. I may be on vacation but, my participation in our Democracy never is.

P.S. The Senate switchboard number is 202 224-3121